* Girish Kuber ('The tiger in winter', IE, November 19) gave an interesting account of deceased Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's rise from a cartoonist to the "godfather" of Maharashtra politics. It seems that Thackeray had an innate political acumen and made use of the opportunities offered by the prevalent political climate. The icon of the "Marathi manoos" was known to adapt his politics to the changing times. His brand of politics has been on the wane since India's recent economic success. With national economic integration, Maharashtra has become more willing to accept the movement of people across the country. Finally, Thackeray's vitriolic remarks against Muslims were shocking.

— Harkirat Singh

Patiala

* A POLITICAL personality like the late Bal Thackeray may be loved or hated, depending on people's political preferences. But he cannot be ignored or forgotten.

— Lokesh Nagpal

Ludhiana

Overhauling coal

* THIS refers to 'Coal conundrum' (IE, November 19). Coal production, on which a large part of the country's total electricity generation depends, is in a state of chaos. If early measures for the revival of this sector are not put in place, things are likely to get worse. It is difficult to understand why Coal India Limited (CIL) might be mixing coal varieties to meet demand. Perhaps CIL is compensating for a limited amount of high quality coal. The government must bring about reforms through disinvestment in major public sector coal companies. This will infuse capital into the sector, which could then be used for fresh exploration and better management.

— Deepak Sharma

Panchkula

Filial duties

* MUSTAFA KAMAL, additional general secretary of the National Conference and uncle of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has reportedly called India an enemy of the Kashmiris and Pakistan a friend ('Uncle calls India "biggest enemy" of Kashmir, Omar criticises him', IE, November 13). Instead of tweeting his reaction to the statement, the chief minister should have addressed the media directly and aired his criticism. As of now, his response remains inadequate.

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